Vice President Joe Biden is talking Thursday at Iowa State University about efforts to create manufacturing jobs.

Biden toured an ISU engineering lab with Sec. of Agriculture Tom Vilsack before the speech, which started just after noon.

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Biden said he's worked with Vilsack on a number of projects and he said Vilsack is the best Sec. of Agriculture in the past 50 years.

Biden is talking about bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States and the economy's need for skill workers, scientists and engineers. He called it "insourcing." He said companies are bringing factories home to the USA.

Biden said we're not going to be hearing about outsourcing anymore.

We remain the most innovative country in the world because we understand you must challenge the system, said Biden.

"Innovation only occurs through challenge," said Biden.

"They all know we have something nobody else has," Biden said about the countries he has visited since becoming vice president -- some 540,000 miles traveled.

Biden said China has offered America a challenge and "awakened the sleeping giant -- the American people."

Biden said there is more we can do to "reboot the middle class." He called for permanent tax relief for company's research and development as well as more support for those seeking higher education at universities.

Biden thanked the ISU students for helping bring America back. He said there is nothing that American can't do.

Biden then took question from the audience.

"You have one heck of a program here," said Biden, talking about why he choose to speak at ISU. He talked about how the university is partnering with industry.

Biden's trip to Ames comes about six weeks after Obama's last visit to Iowa. During that Jan. 25 event in Cedar Rapids, Obama talked about manufacturing jobs and the economy.

Iowa is considered a swing state and likely will see more visits from Obama and the eventual Republican nominee in the months before the November election.

Free tickets to the event were handed out by Wednesday morning. ISU officials said a live video of the event will be available to students who didn't get tickets.

Look for more on this developing story here on KCCI.com and on KCCI-TV. On Twitter you can follow the visit using #BidenatISU.